India asks Chi to respect its territorial sovereignty
New Delhi, Jan 18: India on Wednesday said that Chi, which is “very sensitive” about its territorial sovereignty, had failed to show similar respect for New Delhi’s concerns. New Delhi also sought to allay Beijing’s apprehension about India’s rise.
“Chi is very sensitive on matters concerning its sovereignty. We expect they respect other peoples sovereignty,” Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said at the Raisi Dialogue here.
“The CPEC (Chi Pakistan Economic Corridor) passes through a territory that we see as our territory. Surely, people will understand what the Indian reaction is. There needs to be some reflection, and I am sorry to say we have not seen signs of that,” said the Foreign Secretary to a query at the event.
India has strongly objected to the $46 billion Chi Pakistan Economic Corridor, which passes through Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, claimed by India.
Jaishankar’s reference to India’s concerns on sovereignty come a day after Pime Minister rendra Modi had said in his iugural speech: “Respect for sovereignty is important for regiol connectivity to improve.”
The CPEC is being pushed forward by Chi and Pakistan, ignoring India’s concerns. The issue is one of the irritants between Sino-India ties. India has raised the issue at the highest diplomatic level with Chi.
“Our rise is not harmful to Chi’s rise just like Chi’s rise is not harmful to us,” Jaishankar said. The CPEC is one of the key projects of Chi’s One Belt One Road connectivity programme.
The CPEC seeks to link Chi’s Kashgar in restive Xinjian province to Pakistan’s Gwadar port in Balochistan, giving Beijing land access to the Arabian Sea.
Bilateral ties with Chi have been clouded with Beijing repeatedly blocking New Delhi’s move to gain membership to the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), and even the move for a UN ban on Jaish-e-Mohamed chief Masood Azhar, who India accuses of being behind the terror attack on the Pathankot air base in January last year.
On the South Chi Sea dispute, Jaishankar said India’s position was “consistent” and “in tune with what intertiol position”.
Chi claims almost the entire South Chi Sea. Last year, an intertiol tribul rejected Beijing’s claims in a case brought by the Philippines. India had asked the parties concerned to show respect to the ruling, denounced as “illegal” by Beijing. (IANS)